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Learn your host responsibilities and liabilities for your next party and how to reduce your risk as host. Discover tips for a safe
party, including how to recognize the signs of guest intoxication and handling intoxicated guests.
Here is a list of Frequently Asked Questions:
- Handling Intoxicated Guests
Handling a guest that has become intoxicated is never easy. Often, the person's judgment is impaired and they may
not be ready to admit that they have had too much to drink. As a host, it's important that you know how to handle an intoxicated guest.
- Never serve guests to the point of intoxication. If you notice that trouble is starting - such as verbal arguments - intervene
in a friendly manner and try to diffuse the situation.
- Use tact. If you can, get the person who has been drinking away from the area and other guests. Speak to them directly
and privately. If you can't calm the person down, you may need to ask a friend of theirs to help encourage the person to leave the
event.
- Convince the guest not to drive. This includes any motorized vehicle, including cars, boats, snowmobiles, recreational vehicles
and motorcycles. Convincing a guest not to drive can be a real challenge. Don't be afraid to show your concern for your
guest's welfare.
- If the person will give you their car keys, take them and store them away. If the guest will not give you the car keys, and you
know they are unfit to drive, you may have to resort to stronger measures such as calling the police.
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- Host Responsibilities and Liabilities
As the host of a special occasion, you:
- can be held legally liable for the safety and sobriety of your guests.
- can be held responsible for injuries or damages that occur as a result of the alcohol you provide.
- are responsible for your guests at any function that you organize, including weddings, street parties and company parties.
- may be held responsible for the safety and behaviour of your guests until they're sober, not just until they leave your party or
function.
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- Risk Reduction
You can lower your liability risks by learning how to prevent guests from overindulging at your next event. This
includes:
- never serving alcohol to people under the legal drinking age of 19 years
- discouraging excessive drinking or serving alcohol to anyone you suspect may already be intoxicated
- preventing drunken, violent or disorderly conduct at the event
- never raffling alcohol or holding contents that involve buying, drinking or winning alcohol
- never letting guests drink and drive
- never making drinking the focus of your event
- encouraging responsible consumption
- serving alcohol only within the allowed hours for Special Occasion Permits (11 a.m. to 1 a.m., Monday to Saturday; Sunday 12:00 noon to 1 a.m.; New Years Eve 11 am to 2 am)
- always serving food with alcohol
- offering a variety of low-alcohol and alcohol free drinks.
You may also lessen your risk by hiring a licensed caterer or bartender who has completed SMART SERVE® training. SMART SERVE
covers topics such as recognizing and preventing intoxication, dealing with guests who have had too much to drink, and meeting your legal
responsibilities. Top
- Signs of Intoxication
Watch for these signs that someone is becoming intoxicated:
- fumbling
- change in speech volume or pace
- slurred speech
- red eyes
- excessive sweating
- decreased alertness
- stumbling or weaving
- noticeably shallow breathing
- sleepiness
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- Tips for a Safe Event
As a host, keeping your guests from drinking excessively should be your primary concern. Here are some tips you
can put into practice to make your next event a safe one:
Tip 1 - Plan ahead
- Station the bar far from the door, in a spot where people aren't always passing it.
- Even for a small event, hire a professional bartender who has been trained by SMART SERVE. Insist that he or she use a jigger to
measure spirits. If your budget allows, hire a caterer with trained staff. Caterers can include both independent operators
and restaurants that carry catering endorsements.
- Provide seating, arranged flexibly, so that people can sit down to talk in groups.
- Don't plan to have servers circulating around the room refilling people's glasses. People often accept drinks they don't really
need.
- Don't plan physical activities like swimming, skiing, snowmobiling or skating when you serve alcohol. People are more prone to
accidents when they've been drinking.
- If you will be holding a large event, arrange for some type of door control to limit the number of people who enter your event.
Do not allow the number of guests to exceed the legal capacity of the premises.
Tip 2 - Develop safe serving practices
- Serve drinks to guests rather than offering a self-serve bar. A self-serve bar encourages heavy drinking and denies bartenders
the opportunity to assess the condition of your guests.
- Serve sugar-free ginger ale, tonic and other mixers, wherever possible.
- If you have a cash bar, use tickets. Offer alcohol-free drinks free of charge. Do not set the price of alcohol too low since
this will encourage heavy drinking.
- Never serve minors. In addition to being illegal, inexperienced drinkers are most likely to drive irresponsibly and cause
accidents while under the influence of alcohol.
- Check the identification of people you suspect are under 19 years of age.
- Close up your bar well before the scheduled end of the party.
Tip 3 - Provide plenty of good food
- Food consumption slows down the absorption of alcohol, thereby lowering a drinker's peak blood-alcohol level.
- Place an hors d'oeuvres table near the door, so people can begin to nibble as soon as they arrive, and before they have a drink.
- Don't serve a lot of salty snacks. These just make people thirstier - and they'll likely try to quench the thirst with alcohol,
instead of water or soft drinks.
- Select hot and cold items as well as some foods that don't require any special temperature - like baked goods and snack mixes.
Limit food safety concerns by always keeping cold foods cold, and hot foods hot.
Tip 4 - Provide a range of low and alcohol free options to your guests
- Place water, soda, juice and ice at stations around the room so that people can easily "freshen" their drinks without adding more
alcohol.
- Feature attractive, alcohol free drinks.
- Make sure you have low-alcohol beers and wines in your bar selections.
- Lead by example. Don't point out the bar to each arriving guest. Take the attitude that cocktails are simply one form of
refreshment, and that alcohol free drinks are just as acceptable.
Tip 5 - Arrange safe transport options
Investigate alternatives to driving for guests leaving your event, including:
- designated driver programs
- subsidized taxis
- local transit
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